A WEEKEND of violence in Greater Manchester saw three people shot, two stabbed and a man smashed over the head with a baseball bat.

In what ranks as one of the busiest weekends of the year, police were called to serious incidents in Moss Side, Old Trafford, Longsight and Stockport in just under 24 hours.

The catalogue of violence began at 5.25pm on Saturday outside Alvinos take-away in Great Western Street, Moss Side when a single bullet was fired at a 44-year-old man in a car. The bullet, fired through the passenger window, passed through his arm and into his stomach.

The second shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday morning outside the West Indian Centre in Carmoor Road, Longsight when a 32-year-old man was shot in the leg.

A third victim was shot in the arm at the Shrewsbury Pub in Clifton Street, Old Trafford and during the same incident another man was hit over the head with a baseball bat. The attacks happened at 2.10am on Sunday.

Stable

Police say they do not believe any of the shootings are linked at this stage and all of those injured were in a stable condition in hospital. They have not released details of which hospital they are being treated in.

A police spokesman said: "It has been a very, very busy weekend. We are exploring a number of lines of inquiry in relation to what has happened, but we do not believe the shootings are linked."

Stabbings

Detectives were also called out to two stabbing incidents in Stockport in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The first took place in Gatley just after midnight, when a 36-year-old man was stabbed and smashed over the head after being robbed of his jacket in Hollyhedge Road.

Less than two hours later a 23-year-old man was stabbed following a scuffle outside Pure nightclub in Fletcher Street, Stockport.

Police say the men's injuries are not life threatening.

Anyone with information about any of the incidents over the weekend is asked to contact the police on 0161 872 5050.